Unified Secure Remote Configuration for Embedded IoT Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems, managing and configuring applications remotely is challenging due to the lack of practicality in accessing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on 'headless' devices, requiring a secure and scalable solution for remote configuration and management that can handle various protocols and evolving mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows secure remote management of applications without requiring explicit participation in a particular configuration scheme, using a decoupled Secure Remote Management engine that unifies access to multiple configuration sets through a global configuration abstraction, enabling secure, reliable, and flexible remote configuration and management across different protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If applications are configured independently with their own private configuration stores, then each application can maintain its own configuration structure and needs, but system-level remote management capability is limited and not all applications can be managed remotely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a system-level configuration store and remote management interface that acts as an intermediary between remote management systems and individual applications. This intermediary provides unified remote access to application configurations without requiring applications to implement specific remote management protocols, thereby enabling remote management while preserving application configuration independence
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal configuration access mechanism that works across multiple applications and protocols. The system-level configuration store provides a common interface that can be used by different remote management protocols (such as SNMP, ZeroConf, and proprietary protocols), making the remote management capability universally applicable to all applications on the system
2Reliability
If a fixed management protocol is used for remote management, then the protocol can be standardized, but the system cannot adapt to different enterprise mechanisms or emerging protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic protocol selection mechanism where the system can adaptively choose different communication protocols based on the requirements of the remote management system. The configuration store supports multiple protocol formats and the system can dynamically switch between them, allowing both standardized protocols to be used where applicable and custom protocols to be employed when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the remote management functionality into protocol-specific adapters that interface with a common configuration access layer. This segmentation allows each protocol to be implemented independently with its own adapter, while the core configuration management remains protocol-agnostic, enabling both standardization at the core level and flexibility at the protocol level
3Ease of operation
If GUI access is used for device administration, then configuration can be performed interactively, but it is not practical for headless devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical GUI interaction system with a remote configuration management system that operates through standardized communication protocols. Instead of requiring physical or visual interaction through a graphical interface, the system allows configuration to be performed remotely through protocol-based commands and responses, making it suitable for headless devices while maintaining configuration capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system and method for remote configuration and management of internet of thing devices, whereby applications do not need to explicitly participate in a particular configuration scheme and the application configuration and management can be performed securely and remotely while the Secure Remote Management engine is architecturally decoupled from the bearing protocols used by the remote enterprise to configure and manage the device or devices.